EP0900070B1 - Prothese auditive - Google Patents

Prothese auditive Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0900070B1
EP0900070B1 EP97917183A EP97917183A EP0900070B1 EP 0900070 B1 EP0900070 B1 EP 0900070B1 EP 97917183 A EP97917183 A EP 97917183A EP 97917183 A EP97917183 A EP 97917183A EP 0900070 B1 EP0900070 B1 EP 0900070B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
electrode
generator
poles
signal
pole
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP97917183A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0900070A1 (fr
Inventor
Stefaan Peeters
Erwin Offeciers
Nick Van Ruiten
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Offeciers Erwin
Peeters Stefaan
van Ruiten Nick
Cochlear Ltd
Original Assignee
Cochlear Ltd
Peeters Stefaan
van Ruiten Nick
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Publication date
Application filed by Cochlear Ltd, Peeters Stefaan, van Ruiten Nick filed Critical Cochlear Ltd
Publication of EP0900070A1 publication Critical patent/EP0900070A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0900070B1 publication Critical patent/EP0900070B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
    • A61N1/00—Electrotherapy; Circuits therefor
    • A61N1/02—Details
    • A61N1/04—Electrodes
    • A61N1/05—Electrodes for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode
    • A61N1/0526—Head electrodes
    • A61N1/0541—Cochlear electrodes

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an auditive prosthesis, comprising a cochlear implantable electrode-set applied on a carrier, which electrode-set is provided for applying electrical currents for stimulating auditory nerves in the modiolus, wherein the electrode-set comprises a first series of electrode-poles arranged beside each other and at a distance of each other along a first longitudinal side of the carrier, each of the electrode-poles of said first set are individually connected with a signal-generator, which electrode-set comprises a second electrode-pole connected with the signal-generator, which second electrode-pole is arranged along a second longitudinal side of the carrier.
  • Such an auditive prosthesis is known from the German patent application 28 23 798.
  • the known prosthesis is implanted in the cochlear of a patient having auditory problems in order to improve his auditory perception.
  • the electrodes By means of the electrodes, currents are applied, under control of received sound-signals, which currents stimulate the auditory nerves in the modiolus, in order to induce action-potentials in those nerves, which action-potentials will thereafter be transported to the brains for interpretation of the audio-signals.
  • the electrode-set is formed of the first and second point-shaped electrode-poles, wherein each electrode-pole is each time connected via a wire with the signal-generator.
  • the second electrode-poles form the earth.
  • each electrode-pole has each time to be connected with an individual wire with the signal-generator.
  • the requirement of each time a wire for each pole leads to a limitation in the number of poles and thus to a limited spacious resolution.
  • the geometry of the field-lines to be applied is limited.
  • An auditive prosthesis according to the invention is therefore characterised in that, the second electrode-pole extends over substantially the same distance as the one over which the first electrode-poles extend and which signal-generator is provided for generating signals which generate between electrode-poles to be selected, electrical field-lines with radial and/or longitudinal components. Due to this the second electrode-pole forms a collective pole and thus only a single wire is necessary for connection with the signal-generator.
  • the first pole comprises n electrodes only n+1 wires are required, due to which a plurality of first electrode-poles is possible, without having the limited space available in the scala tympani forming too quickly a problem.
  • the combination of the first electrode-poles and the second collective pole offers moreover the possibility to generate by means of the signal-generator signals enabling to generate radial as well as longitudinal field-lines. Using those two kinds of field-lines enables to increase the spacious resolution.
  • said second pole is longitudinally configured.
  • the configuration of the second electrode-pole thus allies to the one of the carrier.
  • a first preferred embodiment of an auditive prosthesis according to the invention is characterised in that said signal-generator is provided for generating bi-phase-stimulation-pulses of which a first and second phase have substantially a same time-duration but are opposite to each other.
  • the use of the collective second pole with bi-phase-stimulation enables a better control of the field-lines.
  • a second preferred embodiment of an auditive prosthesis according to the invention is characterised in that said electrode-set comprises at least one selectable reference-electrode and wherein a feedback-element is applied between the selected reference-electrode and the generator, which feedback-element is provided for reducing to zero the net current measured over a current pulse-period. This enables to avoid direct currents over the electrode-contacts which could be unfavourable for the modiolus.
  • Those electrode-contacts or electrode-poles are for example formed of Pt or Pt - Ir. The latter are each time applied at a respective distance of one another, for example at 1 mm of each other.
  • the use of a set of electrode-contacts enables it to supply a separate stimulation-pulse per electrode-contact, and in such a manner to stimulate selectively small groups of auditory nerves.
  • the second electrode-pole 4 is built up, either of a single conductor or of a series of individual contacts which are connected to each other.
  • the latter embodiment is advantageous because the prosthesis is more flexible and can thus more easily be applied in the modiolus.
  • the carrier 3 is for example manufactured of silicones enabling him to have a flexible and biocompatible character.
  • the carrier has an electrical resistance of at least 1 Mohm, which is substantially higher than the one of the cochlear liquid, in such a manner that the applied current does not circulate through the carrier.
  • the carrier 3 preferably has a square profile due to which at the one side a somewhat larger surface is created, on which a swelling member 5 is applied, the function of which will be described later on in this description. Also the central conductor 4 or reference-electrode shows a square profile that joins that of the carrier.
  • FIG 8 a second embodiment of a carrier provided with electrodes is shown.
  • the embodiment shown in that figure distinguishes from the one shown in figure 1 by the positioning of the electrodes.
  • the central conductor 4 is now on a lateral side, instead of being at the underside of the carrier 3.
  • Figure 4 illustrates the set-up of an auditive prosthesis according to the invention in a rolled-up configuration.
  • the prosthesis has at one extremity 2-0 a curled configuration, which is pre-formed upon construction.
  • Figure 3 and 8 show a cross-section of the cochlear with the auditive prosthesis according to the invention implanted therein.
  • the cochlear-space comprises a scala vestibuli 7, a scala media 8 and a scala tympani 9.
  • the part of the prosthesis 1 that comprises the electrodes, is applied in the scala tympani.
  • a problem of the known auditive prosthesis is that the electrical conductivity of the liquid, present in the scala tympani, is much higher than the one of the modiolus wherein the auditive nerves are located.
  • a swelling member 5 is preferably applied on the carrier 3, which swelling member is manufactured of a non-electrical conductive material.
  • the function of such a swelling member is for example described in the PCT publication WO 93/06698.
  • the electrode-contacts By applying the electrode-contacts in such a manner in the scala tympani, that they are directed towards the scala media 8 and that the central electrode 4 is pressed against the modiolus, the electrode-contacts are pressed against the scala media, due to which the currents will be forced to pass through the modiolus in order to reach the central electrode 4. In such a manner the probability that the current flows through the nerve and will stimulate the latter, is substantially increased and the losses through the conducting liquid in the scala tympani are substantially reduced. Because the carrier now occupies a considerable part of the available space in the scala tympani, it is avoided that the currents will pass through the liquid of the scala tympani. The bad conductivity of the swelling member also contributes to the fact that the current will not preferably chose a path through the swelling member.
  • the auditive prosthesis according to the invention offers, due to its construction, the possibility to stimulate selectively small groups of nerve-fibres and thus to increase the spacious resolution. Indeed due to the construction of n electrode-contacts, which can be individually stimulated, it is possible to generate a well defined current-pulse for each i th (1 ⁇ i ⁇ n) electrode-contact of the first electrode-poles, which current-pulse will then apply the suitable stimulus to the nerve in which proximity the electrode-contact is placed. Due to that increased spacious resolution more independent information is sent towards the auditive cortex, due to which the probability of a better speech- understanding by means of the electrical stimulation is increased.
  • the signals supplied to the electrode-poles are generated by a signal-generator, which is capable of generating a separate signal for each electrode or for a group of electrodes.
  • the central conductor 4 does not necessarily have to be chosen as a minus- or earth-pole. Other configurations wherein one of the first electrode-poles is chosen as a minus- or earth-pole are also possible, wherein then a positive potential is applied to the central conductor. Due to the increased spacious resolution the information, which is stimulated in the nerves, can be better controlled.
  • the total current-consumption will be reduced, because this is essentially dependent of the necessary currents for stimulating the nerve-fibres.
  • the lower the current the lower the current-intensities will be on the contact-surface and the smaller the electrode-contacts i-n can be manufactured, without exceeding the safety-norms with which irreversible electrochemical-reactions with the liquid of the scala tympani could arise.
  • the building-up with n electrode-contacts 2-i and the central-electrode 4, enables to chose one or more reference-electrodes. Due to this the radial as well as the longitudinal component of the current can be influenced.
  • the longitudinal component will be favoured because the current will flow from 2-j towards 2-i and electrode 4. It is thus possible to select for each stimulation-period another repartition between the different electrodes.
  • the different electrodes can be selected groupswise and per group it is possible to generate a stimulation pattern. Moreover several groups can be simultaneously stimulated. Due to the presence of a plurality of electrodes it is also possible to obtain a larger variation due to which more accurate stimulation between the different electrodes is possible.
  • FIG 5 an example is shown wherein radial field-lines are generated between the first electrodes as well as a longitudinal field-line between the first electrodes 2-n and 2-n-2.
  • a stimulation-pattern a group of 3 electrodes (2-i, 2-i+1 and 2-i+2) is stimulated.
  • a stimulation-pulse with an intensity -I/2 is applied in the first half of the period and on electrode 2-i+1 a stimulation-pulse with an intensity I is applied in the first period half.
  • the polarity of the current is then reversed.
  • the selectivity, the channel-interaction and the minimalisation of the current-consumption are closely related to each other and determined by the configuration and positioning of the different electrode-contacts with respect to the stimulating part of the nerve-fibres.
  • the orientation is optimalised. Due to the choice of n individual stimuli-contacts a configuration is obtained wherein accurately oriented stimulation-pulses can be injected into the nerve.
  • FIG. 6 shows an example of the current-pulses-pattern.
  • the currents are bi-phased pulsed and in case of simultaneous radial stimulation all completely in phase.
  • the generated bi-phase current-pulse comprises a first period T 1 , a second period T 2 , wherein the current direction in period T 1 and T 2 is opposite to one another.
  • the duration of period T 1 is equal for all n pulses of the n electrode-contacts, in case of simultaneous stimulation as well as for period T 2 . It is however not necessary that T 1 and T 2 have the same time-duration.
  • the current-amplitude of the first and second phase of the pulse is determined by a preceding processing of the audio-signal.
  • the auditive prosthesis comprises a microphone 11, provided to catch an audio-signal 10 and supply it to an amplifier 12.
  • An output of the amplifier 12 is connected with a series of parallelely switched band-pass-filters 13-1, 13-2, ..., 13-n. Those filters divide the audio-signal into n different frequency-ranges.
  • Each j th filter j(1 ⁇ j ⁇ n) is connected with a current-transformer 14, which transforms that signal in a current value.
  • That transformation occurs by taking into account the supplied fitter-output-values and the pre-selected groups of electrodes, wherein each group each time defines a perception-channel.
  • 31 first electrodes there are 31 groups possible.
  • the outputs of the transformer 14 are connected with the inputs of a bi-phase current-pulse-generator 15, which make use of the current value for generating bi-phase-pulses with a period T j / 1 and T j / 2 with an amplitude I j / 1 and I j / 2.
  • Each j th electrode-contact is connected with an output of the current-pulse-generator 15.
  • An electrical charge-sensible element 16 such as for example a capacitor, detects the injected net charge over at least one stimulation-period and controls a feedback-element 17, whose output is connected with a control-input of the current-pulse-generator 15.
  • the received audio-signal is thus processed by the transformer 18, in order to generate in function of that audio-signal simultaneous or continuous interleaved bi-phased current-pulses, which are supplied to the electrode-contacts.
  • the amplitude I j / 1 and I j / 2 of each j th current-pulse is thus dependent of the supplied audio-signal and channel-wise correlated therewith.
  • the time-duration T 1 of the first phase is equal to the one T 2 of the second phase.
  • the net current for the selected reference-electrode 4 is measured by means of a direct current-meter 16. If the average value over a period T differs from zero then by means of the feedback-element 17 the time-duration of the first and/or second phase will be automatically adjusted or the currents in the first period T 1 with respect to the one in the second period T 2 (or vice versa) will be adapted in such a manner that the net current averaged over a small period tends towards zero. In such a manner the net direct-current is avoided and it is possible to make no use of individual dissociating-capacitors.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Cardiology (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
  • Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Prostheses (AREA)
  • Adhesives Or Adhesive Processes (AREA)
  • Addition Polymer Or Copolymer, Post-Treatments, Or Chemical Modifications (AREA)
  • Dental Preparations (AREA)
  • Adornments (AREA)
  • Finger-Pressure Massage (AREA)
  • Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)
  • Electrotherapy Devices (AREA)

Claims (6)

  1. Prothèse auditive (1), comprenant : un ensemble d'électrodes pouvant être implanté dans la cochlée, appliqué sur un support (3), lequel ensemble d'électrodes est prévu pour appliquer des courants électriques destinés à stimuler les nerfs auditifs de la columelle, dans laquelle l'ensemble d'électrodes comprend une première série de pôles d'électrode (2 - i) agencés côte à côte et à une certaine distance les uns des autres le long d'un premier côté longitudinal du support, chacun des pôles d'électrode dudit premier ensemble étant connecté individuellement à un générateur de signaux (15) ; lequel ensemble d'électrodes comprend un second pôle d'électrode connecté au générateur de signaux, lequel second pôle d'électrode (4) est agencé le long d'un second côté longitudinal du support (3), caractérisée en ce que, le second pôle d'électrode (4) s'étend sensiblement sur la même distance que celle sur laquelle s'étendent les premiers pôles d'électrode (2 - i), et lequel générateur de signaux est prévu pour engendrer des signaux qui produisent, entre des pôles d'électrode à choisir, des lignes de champ électrique (6) à composantes radiale et/ou longitudinale.
  2. Prothèse auditive selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que ledit second pôle est configuré longitudinalement.
  3. Prothèse auditive selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisée en ce que ledit générateur de signaux est prévu pour engendrer des impulsions de stimulation biphasées dont une première et une seconde phases ont sensiblement la même durée mais sont opposées l'une à l'autre.
  4. Prothèse auditive selon la revendication 3, caractérisée en ce que ledit ensemble d'électrodes comprend au moins une électrode de référence pouvant être choisie, et dans laquelle un élément de contre-réaction (17) est appliqué entre l'électrode de référence choisie et le générateur, lequel élément de contre-réaction est prévu pour amener à une valeur nulle le courant net mesuré sur la période d'impulsion de courant.
  5. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisée en ce que le premier ensemble d'électrodes comprend trente et une électrodes.
  6. Prothèse auditive selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 5, caractérisée en ce que le générateur de signaux est pourvu d'un élément de choix servant à choisir, à chaque fois, un groupe de premiers pôles d'électrodes et à engendrer, par groupe, un motif de stimulation.
EP97917183A 1996-04-17 1997-04-17 Prothese auditive Expired - Lifetime EP0900070B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE9600334 1996-04-17
BE9600334A BE1010268A3 (nl) 1996-04-17 1996-04-17 Auditieve prothese.
PCT/BE1997/000047 WO1997038653A1 (fr) 1996-04-17 1997-04-17 Prothese auditive

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0900070A1 EP0900070A1 (fr) 1999-03-10
EP0900070B1 true EP0900070B1 (fr) 2003-12-10

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EP97917183A Expired - Lifetime EP0900070B1 (fr) 1996-04-17 1997-04-17 Prothese auditive

Country Status (8)

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US (1) US6355064B1 (fr)
EP (1) EP0900070B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2000508210A (fr)
AT (1) ATE255869T1 (fr)
AU (1) AU713074B2 (fr)
BE (1) BE1010268A3 (fr)
DE (1) DE69726723T2 (fr)
WO (1) WO1997038653A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000045618A2 (fr) * 1999-01-28 2000-08-03 Cochlear Limited Prosthese auditive comprenant un support qui peut etre implante dans le limacon osseux
DE60019621T2 (de) * 1999-09-16 2006-03-02 Advanced Bionics N.V. Cochlea-implantat
DE60107062T2 (de) * 2000-03-31 2005-11-24 Advanced Bionics Corp., Sylmar Vollständig implantierbare cochlea-microprothese mit einer vielzahl von kontakten
AUPR604801A0 (en) * 2001-06-29 2001-07-26 Cochlear Limited Multi-electrode cochlear implant system with distributed electronics
US7565202B2 (en) * 2002-07-30 2009-07-21 Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. Field focusing and mapping in an electrode array
US20060265057A1 (en) 2003-01-31 2006-11-23 Greenberg Robert J Field focusing and mapping in an electrode array
US7421298B2 (en) * 2004-09-07 2008-09-02 Cochlear Limited Multiple channel-electrode mapping
WO2009111334A2 (fr) * 2008-02-29 2009-09-11 Otologics, Llc Stimulation bimodale améliorée de la cochlée
US20090306745A1 (en) * 2008-03-31 2009-12-10 Cochlear Limited Electrode assembly for delivering longitudinal and radial stimulation
US20090287277A1 (en) * 2008-05-19 2009-11-19 Otologics, Llc Implantable neurostimulation electrode interface
US20100069997A1 (en) * 2008-09-16 2010-03-18 Otologics, Llc Neurostimulation apparatus
US9044588B2 (en) * 2009-04-16 2015-06-02 Cochlear Limited Reference electrode apparatus and method for neurostimulation implants
US20100318167A1 (en) * 2009-04-17 2010-12-16 Otologics, Llc Neurostimulation electrode array and method of manufacture
US8771166B2 (en) 2009-05-29 2014-07-08 Cochlear Limited Implantable auditory stimulation system and method with offset implanted microphones
US20150335890A1 (en) * 2013-01-11 2015-11-26 Advanced Bionics Ag Method and system for neural hearing stimulation
WO2016004970A1 (fr) 2014-07-07 2016-01-14 Advanced Bionics Ag Système pour une stimulation auditive neuronale et acoustique combinée
US10376698B2 (en) 2014-08-14 2019-08-13 Advanced Bionics Ag Systems and methods for gradually adjusting a control parameter associated with a cochlear implant system
US11071869B2 (en) 2016-02-24 2021-07-27 Cochlear Limited Implantable device having removable portion

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU529974B2 (en) * 1978-05-04 1983-06-30 University Of Melbourne, The Electrode for human cochlea
DE2823798C2 (de) * 1978-05-31 1980-07-03 Siemens Ag, 1000 Berlin Und 8000 Muenchen Verfahren zur elektrischen Stimulation des Hörnervs und Multikanal-Hörprothese zur Durchführung des Verfahrens
US4408608A (en) * 1981-04-09 1983-10-11 Telectronics Pty. Ltd. Implantable tissue-stimulating prosthesis
US4522209A (en) * 1983-04-11 1985-06-11 The Commonwealth Of Australia Cochlear prosthesis test system
WO1993006698A1 (fr) * 1991-09-27 1993-04-01 Cochlear Pty. Limited Systeme d'electrode cochleaire a incurvation automatique
US5649970A (en) * 1995-08-18 1997-07-22 Loeb; Gerald E. Edge-effect electrodes for inducing spatially controlled distributions of electrical potentials in volume conductive media
EP0884991B1 (fr) * 1996-02-26 2005-07-27 Med-El Elektromedizinische Geräte GmbH Prothese auditive implantable
US5922017A (en) * 1996-03-13 1999-07-13 Med-El Elektromedizinische Gerate Gmbh Device and method for implants in ossified cochleas

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2562697A (en) 1997-11-07
BE1010268A3 (nl) 1998-04-07
DE69726723D1 (en) 2004-01-22
EP0900070A1 (fr) 1999-03-10
JP2000508210A (ja) 2000-07-04
DE69726723T2 (de) 2004-10-07
ATE255869T1 (de) 2003-12-15
US6355064B1 (en) 2002-03-12
WO1997038653A1 (fr) 1997-10-23
AU713074B2 (en) 1999-11-25

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